Scholastic’s Instructor magazine has chosen the Listening First Stereo Headphones from Califone, as a 2007 Teacher’s Pick. Each product chosen as a Teacher’s Pick was carefully evaluated by the magazine’s teacher-testers throughout the year.

Instructor magazine leads the way with “teacher-leaders” — educators who hold positions on purchasing committees, research and make product recommendations and are often in charge of allocating school funds. As one of the leading and most trusted teaching magazine in the field, Instructor magazine reaches more than 900,000 educators each issue.

Ideal for primary grades and special needs students, the Listening First Stereo Headphones offer developmentally appropriate equipment in vibrant, engaging colors and themes. The headphones are made with rugged ABS plastic in three color choices — blue, red and yellow. In addition, the Listening First Stereo Headphones also are available in animal themes — bear, panda or tiger. Providing clear sound at levels safe for a child’s eardrums, the headphones are high-quality additions to any classroom learning center, children’s library reading corner or language lab.

Through the successful Our America: Tuned In Today… But Tuned Out Tomorrow? campaign, the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) recommends three guidelines to help students use audio technology responsibly: lower the volume, limit listening time and upgrade to ambient-noise-reducing headphones. “With an increasing number of younger students listening to personal media players in schools,” shared Califone Vice President, Marketing, Tim Ridgway, “It is important to educate them at an early age about appropriate listening levels.” Supporting ASHA and its campaign, Califone designed the Listening First Stereo Headphones to have appropriately sized, ambient-noise-reducing earcups to help ensure safe use as students acquire listening, literacy and language skills.

The Listening First Stereo Headphones come with the unique 1-year Califone warranty, which includes coverage for school, library and government use, typically not available for products purchased from consumer electronics stores.

Tom Snyder Productions, a leading publisher of educational software and a Scholastic company, has released a new, improved version of its software series, Science Seekers®. The program, produced in collaboration with the American Museum of Natural History and supported by a grant from NASA, engages students in learning and applying core science content to solve realistic problems.

With this collection of three peer-assisted learning programs, real scientists guide students who gather and analyze data, working in teams to complete exciting missions. This instructional format—where students watch engaging video footage to learn about their mission, collaborate in teams to evaluate information then draw from new understanding to complete their mission— enables students to develop a deep understanding that will serve as a foundation for applying science in the real world.

Science Seekers is enhanced with new features such as a built-in word list for contextual vocabulary instruction and title-specific mission booklets that encourage collaboration between students and support content-area reading.  Other new features of Science Seekers include text-captions for hearing impaired and ELL students and support for interactive whiteboards, projectors and Macintosh or Windows platforms.

"With Science Seekers we have an opportunity to address some of the greatest barriers to understanding science," said Rick Abrams, General Manager at Tom Snyder Productions. "By adding supports in content-area reading, building background knowledge, and scientific vocabulary—all in an incredibly engaging format—we’re helping students experience scientific discussion and collaboration in a meaningful way.”

The updated, standards-aligned Science Seekers titles are The Changing Earth, Ecosystems in Balance, and Safe Groundwater. In addition to focusing on a specific curriculum topic, each title comes with a comprehensive Teacher’s Guide, assessment materials and answer keys.

By Greg Crowe

A network administrator is sometimes faced with the onerous task of monitoring Web activity and blocking sites the organization deems inappropriate. This can be made even more difficult if the administrator is working with an already-strained budget.

Fortunately, Web-content-filtering systems are common, and they are often integrated with other network security functions, such as firewalls, antivirus programs and even intrusion- detection/prevention programs. This can save an administrator not only money but also precious rack space.

Web-content filters use two basic methods. The first, URL-based filtering, is a sure way of blocking specific sites because it categorizes the URL of the page. This type of filter has its drawbacks. It only works if the database of URLs is constantly updated as new domains and Web sites are created. It won’t work on sites that aren’t in the database yet. Also, because the database must be maintained, most providers charge a nominal subscription fee. On the positive side, this method is fast because it takes relatively little processing time to compare a URL string with those in the database.

The second method — content filtering or dynamic filtering — scans the Web page in question for words or word patterns and blocks pages that meet certain criteria. This is a powerful method that works on any Web site regardless of how new it might be, but it has two major drawbacks. First, to scan every page, the appliance must download it. If you have a lot of users, Web browsing can be slow unless you also have a very powerful filtering appliance. Also, if the filter is set to be too aggressive, it will create more false positives than you may consider acceptable.

An ideal filtering solution would use a combination of these methods, primarily relying on the database and only scanning for content when necessary.

We received a variety of security appliances with Web filtering capabilities from six companies: ContentWatch, eSoft, IronPort Systems, Mi5 Networks, St. Bernard and WatchGuard Technologies. The appliances ran the gamut of user capacity and offered a variety of additional features.

All of the appliances were rackmountable and, with one exception, took up 1U of space. Each had, as a bare minimum, two 10/100/1,000 megabits/sec data ports and a serial console port.

To test the Web filtering capabilities of each device, we connected them in turn to our test network. Appliances could be set up in a variety of configurations within the network, but we set them up in-line between the router and the rest of the network. This is almost always the configuration recommended by the manufacturer because it is largely foolproof. Setting them up in sniffer mode, connected to the network alongside everything else, is usually not a good idea. Every client’s browser has to be set to use the device as a Web proxy, which can, therefore, be disabled locally. You can prevent this by setting the router/firewall to block all Web traffic from sources other than the Web filter appliance, but setting it up in-line is definitely the preferred method.

We set each appliance’s policy to block some of the more common categories of verboten Web sites, such as those featuring adult content or nudity, gambling, games, and illegal drugs. Although each interface was slightly different, we were able to set each one to block the same categories.

We then listed Web sites we felt would be especially challenging, such as those that straddle typical category definitions and others that contain little-used domain extensions, such as .info, .biz and the relatively new .mobi.

We also put in several URLs that could easily result in false positives, such as government drug-use information and university-sponsored sexual-health sites. And we tried to play several online games, including popular ones such as “Lord of the Rings” and more obscure ones such as a German site that offers casual board games.

Although some came close, none of the filters performed perfectly. Some were fooled by certain domain extensions, and all of them failed to block a page with prohibited material within an otherwise acceptable domain — for instance, the Gambling tab on the official Las Vegas Web site. Any appliance could be adjusted to near-perfect operation for an organization willing to devote enough time and effort, but we were interested in how the devices’ out-of-the-box category definitions fared.
 

ContentProtect CP100 Security Appliance Only (Academic Pricing)

ContentProtect CP300 Security Appliance Only (Academic Pricing)

ContentProtect CP350 Security Appliance Only (Academic Pricing)

ContentProtect Educational Edition 1 Year Subscription (K-12/Higher Ed)

ContentProtect Educational Suite 1 Year Subscription (K-12/Higher Ed)

Net Nanny 5.6 (Academic Pricing)

 

Heartsoft's comprehensive critical thinking skills curriculum which actually helps boost student test scores! Research shows that sharpening higher order thinking skills produces better test results. Based on the work of the Foundation for Critical Thinking, each Thinkology volume contains both software and written curriculum materials: Each software volume contains two animatedshort stories to introduce the concept, and twenty computer lessons to put the concept into practice; Each 125 page Teacher's Guide includes curriculum integration guidance and suggestions, and over 40 classroom activities including a full cross-curriculum set of lessons which integrate specific critical thinking skills into your math, language arts, and science curriculum.

Thinkology Series (School Version)

Thinkology Volume 1: Clarity (School Version)

Thinkology Volume 2: Accuracy (School Version)

Thinkology Volume 3: Logic (School Version)

IQChinese Go v3.0 has been released  with better quality and new functions. It is now compatible with MAC OS X as well as Windows 2000/XP/2003/Vista. Moreover, it can be loaded to the computer’s hard drive with online update feature. Teachers and students don’t need to carry the original CD with them when they run the courseware. This is definitely more convenient and feasible for schools to apply this popular, unique methodology for their Chinese program.

For a full list of IQChinese Go products, visit our IQChinese page. 

  

“Hwæt! We gardena in geardagum, þeodcyninga, þrym gefrunon, hu ða æþelingas ellen fremedon.”  Say what?  Welcome to Old English, the language of the first masterpiece of English literature; the Anglo-Saxon poem Beowulf, believed to have been composed sometime between the 8th-10th centuries. Comprised of 3,182 lines, Beowulf is the subject of this Rocketbook DVD study guide, a kind of visual Cliffs Notes that breaks the poem down into bite-sized section, featuring a summary, analysis, and pop quiz for each set of lines.  The screen is divided into shifting panels depicting an onscreen host, relevant artwork, and major points underscored with creative use of text.  Although student-friendly, the production is not superficial in its treatment of the epic story of the great warrior Beowulf, who travels from Geatland (Sweden) to Heorot – hall of the Danish King Hrothgar – where the monster Grendel is nightly feasting on the residents (Grendel is also the first instance in English literature of the lonely misunderstood adolescent male – see John Gardner’s wonderful novel Grendel).  In telling Beowulf’s story (his legendary battles with Grendel, Grendel’s mom, an much later, a fatal bout with a wily dragon), the host explains important concepts (such as the workings of “wyrd” or fate), while also drawing attention to the mixture of Christian (Grendel is thought to be a descendant of Cain) and pagan symbolism throughout the poem.  While no substitute for reading Beowulf (and frankly, I think students today should have to translate the whole bloody thing, just like I did in college), this smart overview makes for a fine study aid.  DVD extras include character profiles and an art gallery. 

Visit our Rocketbook product page for a full list of titles! 

Rocketbook Beowulf a DVD Study Guide 

Rocketbook Frankenstein a DVD Study Guide

Rocketbook Beowulf a DVD Study Guide

Rocketbook Othello a DVD Study Guide

Rocketbook Macbeth a DVD Study Guide

Rocketbook Romeo & Juliet a DVD Study Guide

 

We are excited to announce an update to the AccelTest software that is included with the 2Know! classroom response system.  AccelTest 3.0 will be available December 4, 2007.  The new version will be available to existing customers as a free download and included in new systems shipped after December 4, 2007.

The 2Know! classroom response system is already a proven effective product to accelerate learning and measure success.  To enhance the 2Know! classroom response system, state and national standards have been integrated into the AccelTest assessment software.  AccelTest 3.0 enables the correlation of classroom based activities such as homework, quizzes, and tests with national standards and state standards for all 50 U.S. states, grades K–12 and for the following disciplines: Reading/Language Arts, Math, Science, and Social Studies.  Reporting on the results of aligned assignments is available by student and class for single assignments or multiple assignments.  This software was designed to meet the needs of schools working to meet their state's educational standards.

In addition, the following enhancements are included:
Support for custom student IDs of up to 12 digits in length is available in this release.  This allows customers to use predefined numbers, such as lunch numbers, in AccelTest and students have the opportunity to use one ID for all classes.  These numbers can be imported easily with the student names to save teachers time.

An update to the student-paced session feature enables results to be automatically provided to students on the 2Know! Renaissance Responder Handheld Unit screen.  Now, students can work at their own pace on assignments created specifically for them, plus they can see their results before moving on to another assignment or practice work.  This feature can be turned on/off by the teacher.

The ability to export assignment results to a .csv format which can be opened using Microsoft Excel.  Using this feature, educators can work with the raw data to analyze individual classes or merge data together to analyze multiple classes together. 

TechSmith, the world's leading provider of screen capture and recording solutions, today announced the availability of Camtasia Studio 5 which dramatically simplifies the creation and distribution of screencasts. Now business professionals with no programming or multimedia expertise can create engaging demonstrations, rich marketing content, PowerPoint-based video presentations and interactive training in minutes.

“From the concept stage to final animation, Camtasia Studio 5 gives me everything I need to bring my digital drawings to life,” said Jason Ryan, supervising animator at DreamWorks Animation. “Compared to earlier versions, this new release has really been simplified so I can just focus on my presentation and not worry about the technical side. Camtasia Studio 5 gives me everything I need to record, edit and produce professional screencasts.”

“Every organization I’ve met has expertise and information they need to share,” said Troy Stein, Camtasia Studio 5 product manager at TechSmith. “With Camtasia Studio 5, anyone can record what they know and share it in video format. Camtasia Studio 5 users, whether they’re in the sales, marketing, training or the support department, get to shine like a rock star within their organizations because what they create helps make everyone more productive and helps to improve the bottom line.”

Camtasia Studio 5 automatically records exactly what a user sees on a computer screen, what they say, and how they interact with any Windows-based application or website. Individuals can then edit the interactive content and share it online in all popular streaming media formats including Flash (SWF, FLV), fixed media such as CD or DVD, or portable media players such as the Apple iPod.

In addition to the many user experience, stability enhancements and added transitions, some of the new features in Camtasia Studio 5 include:

* Camtasia SmartFocus™ -- enables users to create smooth automatic zoom-n-pan action with a single mouse click to focus the viewer’s attention on important points of interest and to provide visual clarity when delivering screencasts inside small playback windows like blogs, on YouTube or via the Apple iPod. See the Camtasia SmartFocus screencast at: http://www.techsmith.com/cs5smartfocus
* TechSmith ExpressShow™ -- is a sleek staging and playback format for Camtasia Studio screencasts that gives the viewer user-friendly controls and puts maximum emphasis on the content while taking up minimal screen real estate. Customers can also apply their own corporate branding.
* Snap-to-App -- automatically places applications, dialogue boxes and the cursor in the right recording position at the right time so action is smooth, editing time is reduced, and the presentation is clear and professional.
* New Screencast.com, blog, and FTP preset outputs that allow users to easily share content quickly online.

Camtasia Studio 5 is integrated with the new Screencast.com service, which is currently in open beta testing. The integration between Camtasia Studio 5 and Screencast.com facilitates fast and easy video sharing. Unlike other online video hosting services, Screencast.com retains the original quality, size, and professionalism of the uploaded screencast.

Adobe was honored with the Corporate Achievement Award from Smithsonian’s Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum. Presented as part of the 2007 National Design Awards, the Corporate Achievement Award recognizes corporations that help advance the relationship between design and quality of life. The award was presented to Adobe at a gala dinner at Cooper-Hewitt in Manhattan.

“All of this year’s honorees represent the very best of design in a broad range of fields,” said Cooper-Hewitt director Paul Warwick Thompson. “Adobe’s pioneering applications have revolutionized the way professional designers and everyday consumers approach design, and have touched nearly every type of imagery in the world today.”

The 2007 National Design Awards nominations were solicited from a committee of more than 800 leading designers, educators, journalists, cultural figures and corporate leaders from every state in the nation. A jury of experts, chosen by Cooper-Hewitt, selected finalists and winners in each category. First launched in 2000 as a project of the White House Millennium Council, the National Design Awards were established to promote excellence and innovation in design. The awards are accompanied each year by a variety of public education programs, including lectures, roundtable discussions and workshops.

“We’re passionate about great design and about giving people new ways to bring their creative visions to life,” said Adobe CEO Bruce Chizen. “Adobe has a long history of creating award-winning software that has redefined business, entertainment, and personal communications. We’re thrilled to be recognized for our contributions, and we’ll continue to push the boundaries of the digital design universe.”

Acrobat 8 Academic Pricing

Adobe Creative Suite 3 Design Premium Academic Pricing

Adobe Creative Suite 3 Design Standard Academic Pricing

Adobe Creative Suite 3 Master Collection Academic Pricing

Adobe Creative Suite 3 Web Premium Academic Pricing

Adobe Creative Suite 3 Web Standard Academic Pricing

Adobe Dreamweaver CS3 Academic Pricing

Adobe InDesign CS3 Academic Pricing

Adobe Illustrator CS3 Academic Pricing

Adobe Photoshop CS3 Extended Academic Pricing

Visit our Adobe product page for a full list of products offering an educational discount.

The InterVideo DVD Copy 6 Plus (Academic Pricing) launch kicked off with a 5 out of 5 star review from CNET Download.com this week! Introduced on November 6, Corel DVD Copy 6 has received more than 20 news hits, mentions and blog entries across North America. Here are some of the initial editorial comments:
 
"Easy enough for beginners to get their feet wet, yet filled with features that should appeal to those familiar with file conversion, InterVideo DVD Copy 6 Plus

“Other programs are extremely complicated to navigate through. This is easy.” - Charlie Fulton, Videomaker

“Pretty robust for under $50. The price is astounding. I’m impressed you can do it for that price.”  - Jon Peddie, Jon Peddie Research

“Good value with a consumer-friendly price.” - Lee Rickwood, HUB: The Computer Paper

"I like easy-to-use products like InterVideo DVD Copy 6 Plus, and my readers do, too." - Tony Gomez, Camcorder & ComputerVideo is an excellent program for meeting video converting and copying needs."- CNET Download.com, 5 out of 5 Star Review

InterVideo DVD Copy 6 Plus educational discounts are available from CCV Software. 

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• Visions Technology Introduces Weaving Web 2.0
• Now Available! Microsoft Office 2007 Professional with Trend Micro Internet Security 2008
• Staff and Faculty now to receive student pricing on Adobe products!
• Macworld gives Ableton Suite with Live 7 a 5 mouse rating!
• Read&Write GOLD Is Solid - www.powertolearn.com
• Nova Development among the Top 5 productivity software publishers in the United States - familiar characters to help children get the most out of learning
• Golden Globe-winner Dario Marianelli offers his thoughts on winning Oscar and Bafta-Nominations for Atonement score using Sibelius 5

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